Feeding Change: HEAL Members Featured in Western Alumni Magazine

• Post by: Anastasia Soukhov
• 11:23AM Dec 12, 2025
• No Comment

Food is more than what’s on our plates: it’s a lens through which we can understand health, equity, sustainability and community. In Western University’s recent ‘Feeding Change’ feature, three members of the HEAL share their expertise on different dimensions of food systems.

Politics of the plate – featuring Dr. Jason Gilliland

Dr. Gilliland underscores the importance of good food for health, learning, and development, advocating for universal school nutrition programs to fuel and educate kids and teens while fighting hunger and food insecurity. He stresses the need for food literacy and skills to help children and teens make healthy choices, while also calling for systemic changes in city planning (walkable markets, community gardens, and better transit) to improve access to nutritious food.

What we know, what we eat – featuring Dr. Jamie Seabrook

Dr. Seabrook highlights the importance of food literacy (learning to cook and understand nutrition) early in life as it is an important predictor of healthy eating habits in adulthood. However, his research shows that while knowledge matters, affordability is the biggest barrier, with rising food prices driving reliance on ultra-processed meals. Dr. Seabrook advocates for universal school food programs and policies that improve both access to healthy food and the skills needed to prepare it.

Scraps and solutions – featuring Dr. Paul van der Werf

Dr. van der Werf studies food waste like a detective, using audits and household surveys to uncover why so much edible food ends up in the trash. His research shows that London households throw away about six portions of food each week (~$600 a year) and that money is the strongest motivator for change. By framing waste in terms of dollars lost and offering simple steps like meal planning and proper storage, Dr. van der Werf has helped households cut waste by 30%, proving that small lifestyle shifts can make a big difference for both wallets and the environment.

This post’s image is from the full feature, read it here: Feeding Change – Western Alumni Magazine